DOOMS?

ED 162 387 ,CS 502 124

. :7AUTHOR Metallinos,.Nikos%TITLE _ Conteiporary'Greek Presentations ,cf Ancient Greek

Theatre.. .

PUB DATE Oct 78.

NOTE 15p.; Study-prepared at Temple-University ;Parts maynOt'reproluceolearly.

.

-EDRS PRICE. MF-$0.83 BC-$1.67 Plus. Post age.DESCRIPTORS - *Acting; Audiences; Clasiteal Literature; Comedy;

*Drama; *Dramatics; * Greek Literature; literary-Perspective; Productict -Techniques; Theater Arts;Tragedy

kBSTRACTConfronted with the problems imposed by the stage

presentation and interpretation of Ancient Gre'ek 'theatre to_contemporary audiences, scholars, have developed four major approachesto the presenia.tion cf,Greek drama over .the past 7C years. The firstapproach, referred to as, moliifidationist or realist, claimd thatCommunicating ancient Greek dra0a to a modern audience requires atotal modification of the drama and a realistic presentation of thecOstUme§, language, and even the poetic structure of the play. TheadAptationist school of thought is similar in that it believes thatthe content and the form of the drama must conform to modern. social,psychological, moral, and 'aesthetic values if the presentation is tote.relevant to contemporary audiences. In contrast to these twoviews, the scholasticistS rely *on a scholarly interpretation based onthe historical, philOsophical,-and literary background cf the slais;

the Classicists argue that the dramas lust be read or presented-as archeological performanceS, maintaining all of their'criginal

.Parts ScholarS do agree that the role cf the chorus presents the'.most serious problem in presentation and that insight .into thetradition, culture, history, and philosophy of Greece is essential to-a. revitalization of .ancient .Greek. theatre. (MAI)

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sa-

PONTEMPORVY GWK-PRESENTATIONS

OF-ANCIENT GREEK THEATRE.

by

Nikos Metallinos

PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY

Ni kos. Metal 1i nos

. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) ANDUSERS OF THE ERIC SATEM."

Temple Univesity,

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

October, 1978

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF liEALT14.EDUCATION WELFARENATIONAL INSTITUTE OF

EDUCATION

THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO,OUCEO EXACTLY AS RECEIVEO FROMTHE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN-ATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONSSTATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRE-SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OFEDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY

9

aINTRODUCTION

During the sunaer of 1977, Temple-University's School of

Communication and-Theatre conducted an experimental seminar in-an- .

cient,Geek drama-to attend and study contemporary GreekproaUctions

in the ancient theatres of Greece. The seminar posed the leollowing

questions:

1.' What.specific modern-approaches have taken form that underlie

conte*orary. Greek productions?

/2. Who are the scholars and artists that have studied, interpretedand. presented the ancient dramas?

What are the main problems they faced?

4. How were these problems resolved in theatre productions?

Answers came not only from student reading of the drama and!

itt theatrical and, critical history, but most vividly from productions

seen during a tour of ancient Greek cities, temples and

r4

During the last 70 years in Greece, four major'A&oaches

regarding the presentation of ancient Greek drama have ben developed.

They are (1) the modificationists,, (2) the adaptationii34,f(3) the4

scholasticists, and (4) the classicists (Metallinos, 197i7i,, pp. 4-27).

FOUR MODERN APPROACHES TO. ANCIENT GREEK THEATRE

.The Modificatiohists

Sometimes called realists (Chourmouzios, 1961 this approach

simply claims that the proper presentation of ancient Gek drama to

modern v4ewers should be achieved by a total modifica And, a morefsrealistic attitude towards the drama. By modifying r nd translat-

ing it into the-modernGreek language, modificationibelieve that

contemporary viewers will be able to better understand' e anguish,

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the hybris, the dilemmas and the destruction of the tragic or comic

heroes. The realistic approach appears in all aspects of drama.

For example, some modificationists have gone as far as presenting

tragedie.s whose parts were eithe -omitted or changed,- altering the.

original poetic structure of the.play. The language was changed and

original characters became modern ones, not only-in costume, but in

thought as'well.

tFor awhile, this approach had numerous followers. and was

somewhat successful. But, productions of this nature comPletAy

overlooked the original intent, scope and timeless beauty of the an

cient Greek theater (Sideris, 1960), and die to the tremendous suc-

Cess of the performances of the "National Theatre" and the "Art

Theatre" of Greece --'both of which followed a different approach47-

the movement of the modificationists or realists 'died out.

In simmary, the modificationists tend to-change the struc-

ture of ancient Greek -drama_to a realistic and a modern one.

The Ado ptationists

This school believes that the presentation pf ancient Greek

theatre to modern viewers can only be successful if the content and

the form (the message and the medium) adapt to contemporary social?

psychological, moral and aesthetic values. .Sinwe we are removed, from

the va)lies,of ancient Greece:by more than 2500 years, the adaptation-

fists Claim that we are unable, today, to perceive, accept- and under-

stand their theatre. They believe that by adapting their theatre to

our values it can be brought closer to the hearts of the modern.spec-

.tator while still maifttaining the original intent. of the ancient)

Greek playwrites.

As a result "of,these beliefs, we experience on stage Con-

temporary grotesque sex scenes, and Christian dogma'sreplacing the

ancient Greek religion, and Christ replacimithe*-Olympian Gods.

This was the -case, Yor example, in the Art Theatre's produckton oftNs-

Aristophanes' Peace in the Herodus Atticus Theatre in Athens in'

1977. In the Manos Katrakis presentation og Prometheus Bound, the

ancient Gteek god was crucird on stage in the manner of Christ.'

Most theatre direqtors and critics interviewed feel that

some,adaptation is necessary for a serious revival, and contemporary

audiences have received the modifications' favorably. Both Alexis

14inotis (Director of the National Theatre of Greece) and Karolos'

Koun (founder and Director of the 'Art Theatre of Greece) have-stated

that while they try to faithfully interpret the original content of 7

the ancient Greek plays,, they make adaptations IA order to bring them

c]oser Co contemporary audiences.4=,

Alexis Minotis (1977) has_been working in the theatre as an

actor/director for more than 50 years. He has studied theatre in

Greece, Germany and Americaq, and is one of the founders onthe

adaptationist,whool Of thought. Mr.- Minot$s has been highly praiSed

internationally by' theatre critics for hisinterpretation,and acting'

in ancient Greek drama, particularly for-his' roles as Sophoclest

"oedipus Rex" arid "Oedipus at4 Colonus ".

Asked about his present productions of"ancient Greek theatre,

Mr. minotis replied that he is "interpreting the texts, the ancient

Greek content of the claims that contemporary direbtors

often do not pay attention to or missinterpret the original text as

it was written for the stage by Aeschules, Sophocles, Euripedes,.

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1.Aristophanese He denounces the modificationists' approaAqh, ayia,

is opposed to total stylization or the extreme classical approach.

He has made considerable adaptations which have brought the ancient

GreeK theatre closer to.the aesthetic values-of the, contemporary

viewer. Still, Mr. Minotis is somewhat uncertain as to the iopperinterpretation_ of, the chorus, exempting [any folk elements in. the

chorica of the drama.

.Karolos Koun(1977)is Considered one of t116,greatest direc-.

togs in modern Greece a dihiS interpretations of-ancient Greek drama

have,been internationally praised. He is an adaptationist claiming

that a director has. to keepon& foot in the past and one in _the pre-

sent, bridging the two on stage. fie, too, claims that he attempts

to "interpret tiO original texts with contemporary approaches, tech-,

niquesi an5I guidelines dictated"by current values". Explaining the

reasons for the' internationaNlly acclaimed success of Aristophanes. .. w

andC medies he has directed and presented, Kounthinks that it is duei

cp,the inter6retation of old and timeless ideas, concepts 'etc., with

modern symbols-and reasoning. The heroes of Aristophanes comedies as

they are presented on stage are immediately identifiable-by theatre, .

audierces'because they compare with.) eroes of today. More than any

other' theatre. diree'tor of the adaptationists school, Koun adapts is-i

_sues of the-past to those of today. Koun argues that file producti

of an ancient Greek, drama for contemporary viewers must stimulate,_

."visually and spiritually" .the intellect and the emotions of the a. .,-

,age contemporary spectat Greek or otherwise..

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He managed to successfully present,°inAriseophanes comedies,

the political problems of the Athenians of the 5th Century B.C., adap-. -.

ting them to.those political problems Of anycourktry or city in theAO,

world, but formost to the contemporary Athenidns and Greeks. Koun is

among the few Greek theatre directors who recognizes the applicability

and the direct impact of ancient Greek drama on international audi-

ences. He argues that the messages, the conflicts, the agonies and

the dilemmas contained in characters of ancient Greek dramas are time-

less and universal, characteristic of all mankind.

dontemporary theatre critics seem to agree that the adapta-

tionist approach to ancient Greek theatre "motivates a greater. number

of contemiporar30viewers" (Terzakip, 1965) and "translates more faith-

fully the meanings, the values, and the messages of the ancient Greek''

playwriters" (Chourmouzios; 1963).y

In summary, the adaptationists tend to impose contemporary

views in the translation of both the form and the concepts of the

ancient Greek dramas.

The Scholasticis'ts4.

This school, also called Stylizationi'sts (Chourmouzios, 1965), .

belieyessthat a successful presentation of an ancient Greek drama C.a

only be achieved 'f it h4s a scholarly base in the historical, philo-

sophical and library study of the plays- (which have survived). 'They

believe that studying the ancient Greek dramas is the clue to pre-

senting them as the authors themselves intended, and this in turn will

lead to a greater iyact on moderil spectators without distofting,

modifying orcompromising these treasures of ancient Greece. Scholarly

1

analysis and st3rdy of the history and aets, particularly thejiter-.z,

ature of ancient Greece as it is reflected,iri the remaining texts,

will vividly reveal the actual "'symbol" of Oedipul, the "message"

of Lysistrata, the "hate ". of medea, the "fall" of Prometheus, etc.

There is, however, some disagreerent among.the scholasti-

cists. SocratesKarantinos (1969) who is 'one of the founders pf this

school of thought sand a guest lecturer in the seminars

believes that although the scholastic study of these texts ca4pro-

vide production guidelines, we must ourselves interpret those Tarts

of the dramas that need clarification, for theycannot be understood

by the majority Of the contemporary viewers. We must continue our'

efforts (by modifying or adapting) at scholastically interpreting

the.ancIriT creek theatpe.--For example., says Karantinos, the heroes,

in ancient Greek drama should wear-masks and thick soled shoes (co

thornus), and the members of the chorUs should always recite in uni-

son.

Orithe specific question of the position of the chorus in

ancient Greek drama, Professor Karantinos first stressed the impor-

tant role of the chorusi to the entire structure of the dram, (both

tragedies and comedieS) and second, his belief that the chorus' should'

remainsapprosopoS (Greek: faceless). He opposes any modern5-ation-

or 'individualization of the members of the chorus and he views them

as a unit which moves, dances, recites, gestures,. and reacts in uni

Son . squarely, solidly, 'impersonally as a croup. This view

is also shared by Takis Mouzenidis (1965), a widely,known theatre

director who has extensivefy(researched and directed ancient' Greek

drama while working far the National Theatre of arfiece.

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Aimilios Chourthouzio (1963), however, claims that the use

f 1,4ks and cothorni impersonalize the characters; and perSistent

unison,recitation of the chorica '(part's of the chorus); removes,the

reality that underlihes a tragedy or, comedy and leaves the modern

-spectator unmoved and abathetic, indifferent to the emotional and

, aesthetic content of the drama.

In,sumMary, the scholasticists view the ancient Greek theatre\

through the/eyes'of thd histOrian;'persistently interpreting its con-

tent yet maintaining its ancient original form.

The, Classicists or ArcheologistsV

This group believes the-exact opposite of 'the modification-'( .

.ists or realists. Considering that the ancient Greek theatre is a

product of the classical period of Greece; reflecting all values0

(social, economic, political; psychological, intellectual and aesthe-

tic) 6f that era, any attempt to modify it; to adapt our valuet/

it, or to present it in a' stylized manner foreigh to the times, fails

draqtically.'

The classicists argue that the only two ways to present andI

reserrye the ancient Greek dramas are either to read them (in class-

rooms and other gatherings of the.khowledge.able) or present them as

archeological perfvmances maintaining all the partS, the lines, the/ \ .

`fOrm, the style aqpthe. language of the original texts. Obviously,

the classicists want to present an "archaic", performance which will

/require the viewer to remove .himself from. the present. The viewer

muat,imajanatively transfer himself toy the ancient Greek world, walk-).

ing and interacting with-the people who lived more than three thous-

'and years ago .in a society whose values are different from ours in

manl, respects./

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A-produetion that follows the line of the classicist main-

tains a language -which is archaic and unintelligable, consists of

stage excessories that are `out moded, and has to be performed duringI

the day which imPrWtical. The chorus is created as a unit which

seems foreign, Separate~ from the action of the ramit. The heroes.

are totally expressionless, unrealistically tall, and uSe pomplas hnd.tr47'

unnatural voices-on stage. The ptroductions of LinosKarzes, one of

the founders of this school of thought, has been severely criticized

by Athenian theatre Critics.

indifferent (Kararatinosv 1969,

The spectators are left unmoved and

Terzakis, 1965, Chovrmou§ios, 1963).

Obviously, the classicist's only.concern-is to present a- spectacle of

_ancient Greek drama with archeological -merit. They ignor,e the dra-.

Alatic content and its emotional (nd aesthetic impact to recreateI

"archeelogically.true" form.

In summary, the classicists see the ancient Greek theatrer.

as an arcEeological phenomenon valuable only as a museum piece.-k

The Roll of Chorus in Ancient Greek Theatre

Mrs. Dora Stratou and Mr. Vasilios Papachristou, researcheAO

and experts on Greek folk dancing (both lectured in the seminar), pro-(vided their views on the subject of the chorus in ancient Greek drama.

NThey specificallvq<mented bnthe problems imposed by the physical

presenbe of the chorus, its interpretation and its staging.

Dora Stratou (1966) is director and founder of theNational4

Greek Folk Dancing Group bearing heu Rame. Mrs. Stratou has devotedA

her life to research, choreography and stage presentation of more

than 200 Greek folk dances. She ha r6searched the costumes, fo

music .and folk,t ions of all regions of4Greece. tier Creek folk

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dancing group, partially funded by the-Greek government, 1:14-traveled, . .

and performed in. all parts of the world. They appear regularly at

the theatre of'PhlapaPou near he Acropolis in Athens built specifi-

cally for her group's performances. -7

Mrs. Stratou has written a bo k and numerous articles on the

subject of Greek folk dances and lore. Our.entire seminar was in--. .

vited to her theatre of Philapapou where we saw the performances of

some 20 folk dances and discussed with her the role of Greek folk

dancing in-raie revival of ancient Greek drama. Mrs. Stratou argues

that the chorica which require dancing, should be enriched with the

particular style, ,rhythm and steps found in Greek folk dances. Like -

Lillian Lawler (1962, 1942);` Mrs. Stratou sees a closd, connection be-t o

tween existing dances and the aAtient ones. Although there 'have been

drastic changes, additions, modifications, etc., in most Greek fol,}s

dances, their styles and form remain unchanged.

itra,ou deplores-the fact that all contemporary theatreo

directors who are respdrisible for presentirig ancient Greels dramas 40.

1 .1ot know the folk history and traditions of Greece and insist on ig-

noring the role of ,folklore in the revival of.. the orus in ancient

:Greek dramas. Mrs. Stratou seems to.agree with Katerina Kakoure'(1965). Xwhoge research 'stressed the importance of the dances in the roots and,

-the structure of the theatre. r\

. Vasilios PapachriStoU (1960, 1972) is-an instructor of Greek.111

. folk nce, a researcher on the subject 4,

author of two books on Greek

fol dancing; and presently director-6f the Greek folk dancing group

in Salonika,,Greece. Since he is not a theatre

ctOr, but a specialist in Greek folk dancing, our,concern was to-1

1 1 , .'"4,46010'

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find out hoW old some of _the Greek folk dances are 'and what changes

s ocqured that might have altered the forms of existing dances. Mr.. .

Papachristou was totally convinced that todays folk dances pripi-

nated in antiquity. gionseqdentiy:,/*cOhcludes,tile application of

some of these dances to- the chriclis2;;;ndatory. He too'was criti-

cal of the fact that tilatre directors have i.gnoreddithis Factor; and

he speculated that if steps and c4reOgraphical formatioris.f4ftnd_in

Greek folk dances'are applied to the chorus, contemporary viewers)will have a better understanding of ancient Greek theatre. '(

Also a lecturer, these views were:ihared\by Prof. John Anton. is

(,1977), who argued that ther,e are numerous elements of ancient Greece

present in modern Greece, andi

these elementS.could be used to bridge

the gap created between the past and' the preseht. Dr. Ant6n, a Pro -

fessor of Philosophy at Emory University, provided a philosopher's

poifit of view about the efforts to revitalize _ancient Gr k theatre

nd concluded, tliat some of the crucial problems 'inherent in the pre

sentation of ancient Greek drama to contempOiary,audiences could be

overcome if producers and directors understood the spirit,=Of Ancinet

Greek historians, philosophers, artists and playwrites, and would'/,-

_letudy the mentality, the va:lues, and the traditions of the Greeks of

today.'. /

1CONCLUIuNS

doe.

The scholars, of ancient Greek tl titre (including those who

lectured-to the seminar in Greece) seem to agree that the ma pro-

,blem imposed by thee modern production, presentation an terp ta-

\-tion'of ancient Greek. drama to contemporary viewers is the rol of

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the chords in tragedies. and comedjes and that the ultimate success

of the revival of ancient Greek theatre lies in the directors under-.

. . ... .P '

standing of the content of the text, and the entire philosophical. .

basis of ancient and,modern Greek thought.

Obviously, additional production attempt, experimentgition;\.

4 and systematic and scholstical Studies are needed to.solv6,the com-,

zplex problems of the revival of ancient Gree.k theatre.

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REFERENcES

Anton, John. "The Presence of Ancient Greece in Modern Greece",Social Education, Vol., 41, No. 4, April, 1977..

Anton, John. "Tragic Vision ,anO PhilosophiC Theoria 'in ClassicalGreece", unpublished paper presented at theUniversity OfCalifornia at Berkeley, May 20, 1971.,

Chourmouzios, Aimilios. "The Greek Interpretation of Ancient GreekDrama", Epidauria (Introductory remarks), 1963.

Kakoure, Katerina'. "The Dance and Magic in the Roots of the Theater ",Theatron, Vol. XX, No. 4, March-April, 1965, pp. 76 -82.

Ka.ogeras, Vasilios. The Aesthetic Interpretatien,okthe AncientGreek Drama. Salonika: Experimental School of the Univer-sity of Thessalonika, 1957.

Karantinos, Socrates. The Presentation of Andient Greek Drama. Nicosia,Cyprus: published by the author, 1973.

Kararitinos,Socrates. Towards the Ancient Greek Drama.Type-Technical Offset E.P.E. Co., 1969.

Koun, Karolos. Program of the Art Theatre of Greece,- 1977.

LaWler, Lillian. The Dance in Ancient Greece. London: Adam & Black,Inc., 1966.

Athens:

Lawler, Lillian,. Theaince....oft1-1L11-.re. City ofIowa: University of Iowa Press, 1964.

Metallinos, Nikos. The Role of the Greek Folk Dances In the Revivalof Ancient Greek Drama. Unpublished manuscript, Greece, 1977.

Minotis, Alexis. "The Interpretation of Ancient Greek Drama", Epidauria(Introductory remarks in Festival Program), 1977.

Mouzenidis, Takis. The TheatricalEzace (Stage) and Directing, Athens:G. Phexe Publishing Co., 1965.

Papachristou, Vasilios. Greek Dances. Athens: Papyrus Co., 1960.

Papachristou, Vasilios. Lao ra hika & Didactika Ton Ellinikos Choron.Salonika: F. Ber ri is uffsef Co., 197Z.

Sideris, Yannis. The History of Modern Greek Theatre, Vol. A, Athens:Ikaros Publishing Co., 1960.

Sideris, Yannis, The Ancient Greek Theater on the Contemporar GreekStage.- At ens: Ikaros Pu lis ing Co., 19

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Solomos, Alexis. The Living Aristophanes. Athens: Difros Co'., 1961.

Stratoui Dora. The Greek Dances: Our Siving Link With Antiquity-Athens: Angelos Klisionnis Co., 1966.

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